


Oil and Fire

by canadino



Series: ABO Verse - Altered Rules [6]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 02:15:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18729676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadino/pseuds/canadino
Summary: Resist though they might (but Alfonse doesn't always resist).





	Oil and Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Please read my take on Omegaverse if you have any questions; I envision it a little differently than the conventional approach.

Despite both being built around the same time and in the same style - sturdy rock and an impenetrable exterior wall protecting the wings within - Askr’s castle felt much more hospitable. Perhaps there was something about the people who lived within that made the fires in the laturns warm the shadows in the halls rather than chill them; when Bruno walked through them, everything felt familiar despite how he had really spent no more time there beyond the formal gatherings required by their families. He felt at ease, like he did in his mother’s estate from her forced exile to the moorland borders. Bruno spent less time there now that his father decided he had work for his disgraced first child. After all, Veronica was not going to raise herself, and Alpha royals were still Alphas at the end of the day. But for now, Veronica was in the front hall, being doted on by the maid staff who relished their time with Alfonse and Sharena when they were babies. Now that Sharena was about to have her coming-of-age ceremony, the Askr children were too old to feed candies to and fuss over loose threads on their clothing. Their father was with her, watching over his promising heir. He did not care about his eldest slipping away to find the library. 

His attention had been drawn away temporarily, gazing up at the portraits in the hall; there was one of Henriette, her beaming down as she held a scepter of gold and a length of delicate blue fabric. There was one of the royal family, Gustav standing regally flanked by his wife and his children. The painter had painstakingly captured Sharena’s carefree grin, her eyes glittering as she looked at something else in front of her; Alfonse’s somber face was focused unrelentingly at the one capturing his likeness. Bruno’s gaze was only drawn away by the sound of someone approaching. As if walking right out of the frame itself, it was Gustav with Alfonse trailing behind. 

“Prince Bruno,” Gustav said, shortly. Where Henrietta had a soft spot for any child, no matter the age, Gustav seemed to have finished tolerating his presence the moment Bruno had had his coming-of-age. “While it is good to see you in good spirits...might I ask why you are not with your father in the main hall?”

“I was-” Bruno said, catching Alfonse’s eye for moment. The prince looked back, though Gustav seemed to expand as he pushed his shoulders back and moved incrementally in front of his son. “-looking for--for the kitchens. It’s been a long journey, as we took a longer route than usual to check some of the villages in the areas where the dragons have been seen. My throat is a little parched.”

“If you had asked, I could have had a servant draw up a pitcher for you.” Gustav looked out at the rising sun in the sky. “Never mind that; Sharena’s ceremony will be starting soon. It would be best for you to complete your purification rites. I’ll have someone bring refreshments for your convoy.” Sweeping his robes past, Gustav spared not another moment. Faltering, Alfonse followed. 

Coming-of-age ceremonies, while nowadays more of a decorative process than the meaningful ritual it had been centuries before, still had its royal participants cleanse themselves beforehand. Bruno ran water over his body as he smoked his clothes with sweet incense. His father would surely give him a look for preparing so quickly, but when something was asked of him by the king of Askr, he had to comply. Dressed again, he was ready for Sharena’s official coronation as Royal Princess, conferred by her father and the royal clerics. This ceremony would be repeated in several years’ time when Veronica was her age, with the Askr family making the trip into Embla territory. Bruno hoped peace would still reign at that time; his father was easily irritable and quick to provoke. Shaking the remaining droplets of water from his hair, Bruno left the purification chambers. Until the ceremony was over, he was not to think wicked thoughts or touch others below the chin and above the knees. 

“Zacharias.” Alfonse was the only one now to call him by his old name, the one his mother had given him at birth. His father had renamed him during his coming-of-age, wishing to cut all ties with his previous Omega wife. Alfonse had known him longer as Zacharias and called him Bruno in front of others, but Bruno felt no need to ask Alfonse to change. When his mother called him by his old name, he felt a swelling of pride for her blood running through his veins. When Alfonse called him by his old name, he felt a whisper of warmth that started from his ears and deep in the pit of his stomach. “I’m sorry; my father didn’t need to be so curt with you. He knows you’re my friend and you would be seeking me out. But...he can be so protective at times.”

“I don’t blame him, Prince Alfonse. Not after...that time I almost killed you.” 

When Alfonse was younger and pouted, he puffed up like a cat raising its haunches. Now, it manifested with a frown that wrinkled his brows endearingly. In a few years, Alfonse might reach the formidable demeanor his father had. “You always say that. But you wouldn’t have killed me. It was my heat, my first heat, and you were there, and--”

“I would have effectively killed you. If I actually marked you, you would have been bound to me for the remainder of your heat. Royal Omegas are precious; your father would have lost a valuable asset. Unsullied Omegas tie more bonds together between kingdoms than diplomacy.” 

Alfonse had a knack of knowing what he was thinking even if he didn’t verbalize it. He was good at finding him in childhood games of hide-and-seek and could easily read Sharena’s moods when she was hungry or tired. He must have known Bruno had his hands behind his back just to wring them together, resisting the urge to touch. Bruno’s clothes smelled of incense, but pheromones were stronger and Bruno always felt them even with Alfonse’s inhibitors. “An asset,” Alfonse said. “Is that what you really think of me as?”

“Of…” His voice caught, and Bruno swallowed. “Of course not. You’re my friend, my valuable friend…” Alfonse came closer, flush against his chest. He would have thrown himself in Bruno’s arms, if Bruno was not firmly trying to tie his fingers together behind him. “Prince...this isn’t appropriate. At least, not until after Sharena’s ceremony…”

“I don’t want to wait.” And Alfonse didn’t, pressing a sweet kiss to Bruno’s lips. They stumbled around each other in the hall for a moment until wobbling into a secluded nook, Bruno’s hand on Alfonse’s back to keep them from falling into one of the large vases in the hall or against the spear of one of the decorative suits of armor. As they kissed, Bruno felt the choker around Alfonse’s neck, velvet in the front and firm leather in the back. Without Alfonse’s regular armor, it was much more noticeable, just like the softness of the shirt he wore and his body’s malleability, with how a grip in the momentary throes of passion made him press closer. His father would never negotiate a political marriage between them, too distrustful of even their closest allies in Askr. If Gustav willed it, he would not be Alfonse’s first mate, even if Alfonse wanted it, burning in his eyes when he watched Bruno across a room. They were stuck fumbling for each other in limbo, Bruno as the dishonored first prince of Embla and Alfonse as the golden prize and strategist in all the kingdoms.

“Brother.” Sharena had found them, walking up slowly to give them the privacy to unravel from around each other to greet her. “Prince Bruno.” No doubt she smelled the purification incense on his clothes; she was smelling of it too, from her hair and her robes. “The ceremony’s about to start...brother, you’d best complete your purification rites. Prince Bruno, your father and sister are waiting for you in the chapel.” Sharena liked him, at least way more than her father, but she was caught as the next Alpha in their lineage, responsible for leading the kingdom in front of its people. Over time, she had become to be much more careful, slowing down to choose her words and turning to her brother for his guidance. Gustav might have been a kinder father, but Sharena was growing up faster than she would have liked. “Come! Prince Bruno, let me tell you about Fensalir; Father’s finally allowed me to wield it in practice and I think I’m much better.” 

When Sharena was crowned with the royal princess’s diadem, Veronica squeezed his hand. Next to their father, Bruno squeezed back. Embla had two Alpha heirs; Askr had one. Alfonse would be under much greater protection during Veronica’s coming-of-age. He might be able to resist, his self discipline honed from years of hiding his anger about his mother around his father and avoiding the shamans his father employed to draw greater power from their ancient relics - but as Alfonse clasped his hand as the Askr family bid them farewell and held it long enough that it drew Gustav’s attention, Bruno wondered if Alfonse just might put the pieces he needed to get what he wanted into place himself.

**Author's Note:**

> When will I ever just give Alfonse and Bruno their deserved happy ending? Whenever IS decides to stop wimping out and just give us more BRUNO!!!!!!


End file.
